By: Ananya Nrusimha
On Thursday, January 21st, the Williamsville East music department hosted their annual Side by Side band concert, where Transit’s Symphonic and Concert bands played alongside East’s Concert Band and Wind Ensemble. Mr. Randy Schreiber, Transit’s band conductor, and Williamsville East band conductors Ms. JoLynn DeGolia and Dr. Stephen Shewan conducted the bands. The concert started at 7:00 PM at Williamsville East High School and, as expected, lasted for about an hour. Admission was free, though space was limited.
Both high school bands played three pieces. Concert Band played Harold Bennett’s “Courage March” alongside the iconic “Over the Rainbow and the rousing “Triumphant Fanfare”. Freshman Abby Block played a flute solo in “Over the Rainbow.”
While all of Concert Band’s pieces were American, Wind Ensemble’s repertoire is more international. Only one piece, John Philip Sousa’s iconic march “Stars and Stripes Forever” is American, and featured solos by Matthew Chmiel on the marimba (a type of mallet instrument like the xylophone) and Harue Suzuki on the piccolo (a type of small flute). Wind Ensemble also played the English Renaissance composer William Byrd’s Earl of Oxford’s March alongside the German Baroque composer Bach’s Fantasia in G Minor.
Volunteer hours may have been available for ushering at the concert – please contact Mrs. McCarthy in the main office for more details for future opportunities.
